You might want to look into a 30% shade cloth for this purpose any more than that will probably deeply inhibit fruit production. Even at 30% may slow some crop production but may extend the season more so it equals out. I would think about a system that allows you to put it up only as you need it so as to maximize the early season sunlight. As to watering I water on both sides of the day if I have to but always prefer the morning for watering if at all possible so as to allow the leaf surface and soil surface to dry some. Molds, mildews, and fungi are almost always related to water of leaf surfaces for a long enough period to encourage their growth. That being said, if I had a container or bed in this case that was stressed for water at the end of the day I would water that evening as opposed to waiting til morning to do it.
Well hydrated plants are more important to health than the time the water is applied if all else is equal.
Hope this makes sense to you and helps with your project. Happy Growing David

My brother is going to weld me a oblong gazebo of sorts out
of what they call sucker rod (you could use re-bar). It will have two legs on each corner. I'm planning on putting some kind of wire up the legs and over the top and planting a sun loving evergreen vine on it. My problem is he won't be able to get over here to do it until sometime in July and most things will be burn't up by that time.... but then there's always next year.

Pam

You can purchase hoop supports from garden supply catalogs and then select the fabric of your choice. I'd probably use the row cover material...the kind to protect your crops from the early insects...as a shade cloth, too. Provides superior frost protection, too.

Here's how I do it:

{{gwi:31722}}

It's not a raised bed, but a cold frame doing summer service as a nursery for seedlings and seed trays.

I drilled holes in the frame, and inserted short lengths (6") of rebar. Then I used 3/4" black poly tube from the plumbing department at Home Despot for the hoops. The hoop ends simply slide down over the rebar. The cloth is burlap. I have no idea what it's light transmission is, but you could use real shade cloth the same way. The clips holding the burlap are 6" lengths of 1" black poly, slit lengthwise.

I've thought about doing those but with it seems that pcv and the shade cloth only last for a year or two here. Then it dries out and starts cracking, the shade cloth might hold up a year here. that's why I'm planning on an evergreen vine. If it gets too thick I can always thin in out with a little trimming here and there. I have a bench with arbor and a snail vine growing on it and it gives a nice shade under the arbor so I figure this will work good over my tomatoes too.
I'll keep you posted on it.

Pam

Gemfire, Where are you at in Az? I have a pvdc frame that I make of 1" that has been up for 2 years. I use it year round by covering it in late fall with plastic and the remove it after last frost. 30 days later I put up the 6' wide shade cloth on top and 4' on the side of a square 12 X 12 frame 6ft tall reinforced with 4' steel posts (cheaper than rebar) at 4' intervals. I then put 36" poulty netting around the outside to keep the dogs out. One of them likes to eat the leaves of the cucumbers. I have put up and taken down the shade cloth each Sept for several years and it is still serviceable. I have some with gromlets on the edges and some with the clasp fasteners space a foot apart. The clasps wear from the nylon ropes as it flaps in the breeze. But they are easy to replace. I have some of the light 20% that I have used for 7 or 8 years. I have used it in numerous applications. Great stuff if taken care of in a reasonable way.